India News | Atleast Seven Dead in Rain-hit Jammu and Kashmir; CM Omar Abdullah Assures Relief
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. At least seven people have died after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Surankote area of Poonch district, while rescue teams comprising the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued search operations for the missing on Sunday amid heavy rain across the Union Territory.
Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 20 (ANI): At least seven people have died after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Surankote area of Poonch district, while rescue teams comprising the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) continued search operations for the missing on Sunday amid heavy rain across the Union Territory.
Confirming the death toll, Block Medical Officer (BMO) of Sub-District Hospital, Surankote, Mohd Yousf said, "Regarding the calamity and storm that struck the entire district, including Surankote, Rajouri, and the state, we have confirmed seven deaths in Surankote so far. We have completed the medical formalities for six bodies and handed them over to their families, while one more body, which we recently recovered, is currently being brought in. There are several people still reported missing; we are yet to ascertain the exact number. Rescue operations are currently underway near the stream."
As the rain-related emergency unfolded, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu to review the situation arising from incessant rainfall, flash floods and landslides in Poonch and Rajouri districts, besides assessing the administration's preparedness across Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting reviewed the prevailing weather situation, the impact of heavy rainfall and the steps being taken by various departments to ensure public safety, restore essential services and provide relief to affected families.
At the outset, the Chief Minister expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the flash floods and assured all possible assistance for relief, rehabilitation and restoration.
Stressing coordinated action, Omar Abdullah said, "Coordination cannot be emphasised enough," while directing all districts to keep control rooms functional round the clock, maintain constant vigilance and ensure prompt dissemination of information for timely response.
Meanwhile, speaking to ANI, SDRF ASI Zakir Hussain said, "The Army, Romeo Force, and Police have been engaged in this operation all along. The incident occurred at 4-5 different locations. We first went to the Mada side in the morning and recovered bodies from there. Then, upon receiving information about this location, we came here. We went to the spot where a house had been washed away into the ravine. The Indian Army, Romeo Force, and Police were all present there. As the in-charge of ERSS, I also received the information, and together, the Army, Romeo Force, Police, and our team, we recovered this dead body from the ravine and brought it up. The civilian public also provided immense help."
On the body recovered during the rescue operation, he said, "Our operation is ongoing. Our SSP Sahib and DC Sahib had also arrived; they visited Mada early in the morning and personally oversaw the recovery of bodies there. Currently, the SSP and DC have set up a camp in Surankote. The Health Department is with us as well; no department has lagged behind. Everyone has worked together. Operations are proceeding on a war footing, and some bodies are still missing. We are all making a collective effort to recover as many of the missing bodies as possible."
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to review the flood situation caused by incessant rainfall.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said rescue teams from the civil administration, police, Army, SDRF and local volunteers were working on the ground. "Affected families have already been moved to safety. All departments are on high alert and are prioritising immediate relief and repair work," he said.
Heavy rainfall also caused widespread damage in Rajouri district, where the Dharhal River overflowed, inundating the New Bela Bus Stand area, the district's largest bus terminal. Floodwaters entered shops and parking areas, damaging several commercial establishments and vehicles.
The Indian Army and SDRF rescued several people stranded on islands formed by rising river waters in Nowshera, Chakli and Muradpur. Two persons were specifically rescued from the Muradpur stretch amid strong currents.
Rajouri MLA Iftkhar Ahmed said the flooding began in the early hours of the morning and caused extensive damage. "The damage has been extensive; we lost a young girl, and one person remains missing," he said, adding that floodwaters entered homes around 3 am, prompting rescue operations by the district administration and police on a war footing.
Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma said the administration had activated control rooms across all 13 tehsils after weather alerts.
"The IMD has predicted adverse weather for the next three days. Our priority is restoring communication, electricity, and water supply. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is on high alert to clear landslides on Highway 44," Sharma said.
He urged residents to avoid low-lying areas and riverbanks, adding that the district police, SDRF and the Indian Army were working in close coordination.
"As you can see, the weather has cleared up in the last hour. Our first priority is to complete the rescue operations, focus on relief centres, and restore our emergency services, specifically medical aid, electricity, and road connectivity," he added.
In neighbouring Poonch district, continuous rainfall also caused a house to collapse, injuring an entire family.
Superintendent of District Hospital, Poonch, Mohd Shafiq, urged people to avoid unnecessary travel as heavy rain continued to lash the region. "It has been raining continuously since yesterday. Heavy rainfall overnight caused a house to collapse, injuring the entire family residing there; the husband and wife sustained severe injuries, and their children were also hurt. This morning, our police team transported them via ambulance to the district hospital... Due to continuous rains, there is a risk of flooding and landslides; venturing out, whether on foot or by vehicle, could lead to accidents or getting stranded on blocked roads, potentially resulting in loss of life. We have received a weather advisory from the government valid until the 25th, which includes clear instructions to stay at home. People must avoid unnecessary travel or movement, as the rains are causing frequent landslides, road closures, and flash floods."
The Deputy Commissioner also warned of possible landslides along vulnerable stretches of National Highway-44.
"On the vulnerable stretch of Highway 44, there are mostly chances of landslides, falling rocks, and falling debris. This happened at three places last year as well; as you might know, it occurred near Tandwal, near Chingus, and further ahead near Thanda Pani. The BRO (Border Roads Organisation) has already been alerted for this, and their men and machinery are already deployed," he said.
Meanwhile, traders in Rajouri said the flood had caused heavy losses to businesses at the Bela Bus Stand.
Nisar Bhat, President of the Muslim Vyapar Mandal, said, "The damage to Bela Colony, the shops, and the parking stand is immense. I estimate the loss to be around Rs 500 to Ra 600 crore, including both public and government assets."
BJP leader Ravinder Raina, who visited the affected areas, said, "Heavy rains are lashing Rajouri and Poonch, and floods have caused extensive damage there. Many shops have been damaged, and scenes of massive devastation and ruin are visible across Rajouri and Poonch, where people's homes and shops have been destroyed. Large-scale relief and rescue operations are underway, and the entire nation stands with Rajouri and Poonch in this hour of crisis."
The situation also remained critical in Akhnoor, where the Chenab River rose to 29.4 feet with a discharge of 1,16,400 cusecs, prompting authorities to prohibit public movement near the riverbanks and cremation ghats. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)